“Doctrines of Men” (Col 2:11-23)

 

 “Why if you be dead with Christ from the [religion] of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?” (vs20-22)

Men’s commands cannot help us.  It doesn’t matter if it sounds pious or gets people to do “good” in our eyes; it must be gospel obedience, or it isn’t accepted by God.  You and I don’t need to “impress” God; He unified us with Christ, so that when He died, so did we - “In whom also you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ“ (Col 2:11). When He was buried, so were we - “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith [the gospel] of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead“ (Col 2:12). And, when He rose victorious, we did too, forgiven of all our sins - “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (vs13-14).

In time, God taught us “the operation of God“ in uniting us to Christ in salvation, but He asked and asks NOTHING of us for the blessings. We get them, because in grace, He made us ONE with Christ, so that we BENEFIT from His obedience, rather than our merit or efforts.

We are BLESSED, loved, and rich in Christ.  We are inheritors of grace, every good thing, and everything is already earned. There is no extra, and all things are revealed to us by Christ only, so that as we BELIEVE on Him… just as at the start… we RECEIVE, so freely, the goodness’ that we need (Col 2:6-7).

Don’t look away from Christ. Every book, every sermon, must point to Christ, if it will be helpful.

The law condemns, but the gospel of a dying and then living again Christ is what saves - not what I deserve or have contributed to, but what He deserves and gives to sinners chosen before of God.  Don’t get caught up in earning favor by your works; do good because you have God’s favor so freely and powerfully, because He loves you in the Son, because Christ DIED to save you from sin, and because God gave you everything in and because of Christ.  Live to honor Him in love and thankfulness for what you have, rather than living to earn something by your efforts to climb up higher… or thinking you can’t have obedience and grace because of your sins!

The Christian BEGINS in Christ with EVERYTHING.  Faith is how you receive it, as Christ says, “According to your faith, be it unto you”, so that while believing that He loves me, I receive the peace of it (Matt 9:29).  Believing I’m forgiven, I rejoice with joy unspeakable, and believing that I’m blessed with power, the Spirit works in my life.

Those who turn you from Jesus are not to be heard (Col 2:8, 16-19).  Don’t dupe yourself with human piety.  Believe Christ is your reason of blessedness and take the water of life freely, never moving from faith in Christ and living for Him.